In the course of an LAPD manhunt last year, at least eight LAPD officers did not follow standard procedure when they riddled a pickup truck with bullets, injuring two woman.
They were searching for ex-cop Christopher Dorner, who had become a killer,
Police Chief Charlie Beck and Alex Bustamante, Inspector General for the Los Angeles Police Commission, issued a ruling that the shooting did not comply with department policy.
Beck will decide disciplinary measures for the officers; these could include extensive retraining, suspensions or even firings.
Beck said, “these officers have all received extensive training as had the whole Los Angeles Police Department relative to these types of issues.”
The city has already paid the women $4.2 million to settle their claim, and $40,000 additional settlement for the loss of their truck.
Dorner, who had been fired from his job with the LAPD, claimed he was unfairly dismissed and vowed revenge against law enforcement officers in an online rant.
He killed the daughter of a former LAPD police official, together with her fiance, and two police officers before being cornered. He killed himself in a burning mountain cabin in San Bernardino County.
In February 2013, police guarding the home of a high-profile target named in Dorner’s statement opened fire on a pickup truck they thought was his, but it actually contained the two women delivering newspapers.
Beck said officers opened fire immediately after one woman threw a newspaper and an officer mistook the sound of it hitting the pavement for gunfire.
He added: “There is no evidence to support that they were holding an object that could be reasonably perceived to be an imminent deadly threat. I sympathize with the officers, but I have a very high standard for the application of deadly force, and the shooting did not meet that standard.”
Emma Hernandez, who was 71 at the time, was shot in the back, and her daughter, Margie Carranza, then 47, suffered minor injuries.
The same day, during the same LAPD manhunt, another police officer opened fire on another pickup truck.
Police officer Brian McGee believed Dorner was in the truck when he rammed it and opened fire. But Los Angeles County prosecutors accepted that his use of force was reasonable and did not to file criminal charges. McGee has not been disciplined.
David Perdue, the occupant of that truck, wasn’t shot but he suffered head and spinal injuries. The city of Torrance paid him $20,000 for the damage to his truck and he has filed a federal lawsuit for an unknown amount.
It appears that the final total compensation following this LAPD manhunt will likely exceed $5 million.
Expensive mistakes!